Hernando County commissioners approved a request Oct. 28 to add trainee positions within the existing fire‑department budget to expand a local workforce development pipeline into firefighting and emergency‑medical roles.

Fire Chief Paul Hasmeyer described a trainee program that hires local residents at an entry‑level hourly rate for facility, logistics and support duties while the county helps them obtain EMT and firefighter certifications. Chief Hasmeyer said trainees reduce immediate labor costs by handling maintenance, repairs and other tasks and that the program helps candidates learn life and job skills before transitioning into funded firefighter/EMT positions when vacancies occur.

The department reported seven trainees have completed the program and moved into operational firefighter roles; ten more were completing EMT school and expected to be on the line in December or January. Hasmeyer said the county had secured grant funding to pay for some training and that the trainee model shortens the time to get newly hired staff into front‑line positions.

Commissioners praised the approach as both a recruitment and community‑workforce development tool and voted to authorize the county to retain these trainee FTEs inside the approved budget so the program can continue. The board asked staff to include the trainee model as an option for other county departments interested in similar pipelines.

Ending: The fire department will continue hiring trainees, fund their training pathway and transition certified candidates into funded firefighter/EMT positions as openings occur; staff will explore replicating the model in other county departments.